Sans Vultus

The darkness is coming. There is only one way to save yourself.

Every single muscle paralyzed down to my eyelids. I couldn’t close them, let alone blink. Trying to move with every single fiber of my being. Trying to escape from the sheer hatred of it. My attempts at freedom were futile; the darkness engulfed me. This darkness my friends, was no ordinary darkness. This darkness was similar to that of a black hole; where no object could possibly survive.

 

My breath became forced. Each inhalation contained the bleak promise of survival. Madness was at my doorstep! The fear raped my spinal chord without any regard about my consent or wellbeing. The sadist beast taunted me from the shadows. What have I done to deserve the wrath of such a horrible creature? In the underworld, this beast is known as the one who made the devil his bride. How did he do it? Complete and utter annihilation of her psyche.

 

 I managed to move my limbs the same way a squid struggles when caught in the jaws of a great white shark. The sheets could not cling any longer nor did they have any desire to do so. The pillow screamed out in agony as I clamped my teeth into it. Any motion, any at all. This is the only way I could be set free from the malevolent spell.

 

The darkness intensified. It cast its shadow over me, a feat I had previously thought impossible for any being regardless what realm held their origin, especially since the room was pitch black.

 

“Tonight you die.” It said to me, in a menacing and mischievous voice.  The messenger of death not only delivered but took great delight in the delivery.

 

“In the name of Je---“ I began to pray, before I could begin I was interrupted.

 

“Go ahead and pray, he can’t help you.” From his faceless mouth came a bellowing laugh that haunts my memories to this day. “Pray to him all you want. This has nothing to do with him. This is between you and me.”

 

Again I tried to move with no avail. I was but a statue of a man on his stomach, frozen in a sea of despair and agony with my head fixed toward my bedside. And there it was, taunting me. An arthropod standing about five feet of the ground on it’s eight legs. It stood faceless, colorless and colder then the artic.

 

“Kill yourself. You might as well. Do it. It’ll be out little secret, I can dispose of your body. No one will have to know. No one will have to know.” It spoke in a slow thunderous voice.

 

“God, please help me. I NEED TO MO-OVE!” Suddenly, I was allowed to blink and the arthropod disappeared.

 

I glanced at my alarm clock which suddenly rematerialized to notify me it was 1:53. Everything had been a dream. The noise of the fan once again serenaded me to sleep. The hot, dry Caribbean air caressed my oily skin once again. I thanked he who had returned my life to me and closed my eyes. It is safe to sleep again.

 

I awoke to a lightning blot to the back of the brain. Once again frozen in my sudden stupor. Telepathically I spoke to the beast, since I had been robbed of the privilege of my vocal chords. Amazingly it understood me.

 

“What is your name?”

 

“If it is your last memory before I take you to the world of shadows then remember it good. My name has been the catalyst for justice for millions of years across infinite galaxies. Remember it well; my name is Arachnid Sans Vultus.” It spoke with a sense of pride which is supposed to be alien to the gods. It was that very instant, that I knew it could be beat.

 

I sent command after command to my body to move. It was useless, my body is now answering to a master greater than myself. From where I laid I had no choice but to look at it in horror.  The face was a gate Sheol guarded by a door of condemned souls.  Each of the fibers it’s eight legs was a crime I was to commit against humanity.  How could this be?! My heart knows not bloodlust.

 

“You entire race is condemned to face the fires of everlasting damnation.” It spoke with an air of superiority which is also supposed to be alien to the Gods. “Collectively you have so much power for creation yet you are only concerned with greed, lust and gluttony. You serve destruction and make love with the minotaurs.” With each word that the beast spoke I suffocated a bit more. I knew at that moment how it feels to let go. I knew at that moment what how it feels to succumb to perceived weakness. “I have come for you because amongst the blind you are the man with one eye. Yet you will single-handedly be responsible for the final hour of your kind. You do not deserve such talents.” 

 

“God, please help me. You know what is of my heart.”

 

“Don’t bother, say goodbye. I’ll deliver the message after I deliver you.”

 

“HELP ME LORD! THROUGH YOU I AM STRENGTH! DELIVER ME FROM THIS HATRED”

 

Suddenly, without warning I leapt from my and onto my feet. I danced to the music of the heavens on top of my queen sized bed. Without me needing to turn flip a switch the sun once again blessed the four corners of the earth. Evidently, all hope was not lost. I continued to rejoice in eternal gratitude towards the master of all that is, has ever been and will ever be. Despite my victory the beast had abandoned me albeit out of fear of the light, to taunt another unsuspecting soul.

Author's Note

Be merciless, if you do take the time to review this. Thank you.